QLD Govt to build $5 billion underground transport system

by adavies

Adam Davies
Senior Journalist

Adam was born in New South Wales and was educated at the prestigious Scots College in Sydney.
He has worked both in Australia and United Kingdom for some of the largest newspapers in the two respective countries.
He joined APN as a senior journalist at The Chronicle in Toowoomba in 2010, before moving to APN’S Brisbane Newsdesk in 2013 where he covered politics and court.
Adam won a 2015 Queensland Clarion Award - the state's premier journalism awards - and was named 2011 APN Daily Reporter of...

THE Queensland Government has scrapped plans for the cross-river rail system in Brisbane instead replacing it with a $5 billion state-of-the-art underground bus and train project.

Premier Campbell Newman said on Sunday (Nov 17) work is expected to start in 2015 with the project earmarked for completion in 2020 before becoming operational the following year.

"There has been too much conversation in the past, but we are a government that promised to deliver better planning, infrastructure and revitalised frontline services and that is what we are doing," he said.

"We have taken two of Brisbane's major congestion challenges, the Merivale train bridge and the Cultural Centre bus precinct, and come up with an affordable and elegant solution."

Mr Newman said the 5.4km tunnel from Dutton Park to Victoria Park would include two train lines in the lower section and two busway lanes in the upper section.

It will also see additional stations constructed at Woolloongabba, George St and Roma St.

"The project will deliver the public transport services needed for the next 50 years," he said.

"A single 15m-wide tunnel will be built, requiring the largest borer ever used in Australia, almost 2m wider than the Clem7 and Airport Link tunnels."